Is Your Novel Manuscript Dead On Arrival?
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Measuring a person’s degree of awesomeness is no easy task as we are all awesome in our own way. Do you consider yourself to be shining in pure awesomeness or have people said you are awesome? If so, then all you have to do is take up the quiz and see if we agree with your view for yourself. Have fun!
Questions and Answers
- 1.
Does your story have more than two point-of-view characters?
- A.
Yes, it has multiple point-of-view characters.
- B.
No, it has only one point-of-view character.
- C.
No, it has exactly two point-of-view characters.
- D.
Yes, but it has only two point-of-view characters.
Correct Answer
A. Yes, it has multiple point-of-view characters.Explanation
Yes, it has multiple point-of-view characters: This option indicates that the story features more than two characters from whose perspectives the narrative unfolds. Multiple point-of-view characters can provide different insights and angles to the story.Rate this question:
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- 2.
In your story, do you ever describe how a character looks by having him glance at his own reflection? (This usually involves a mirror, a puddle or a weapon).
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Publishers hate it when you try to describe what the narrator looks like by having him narrate himself looking at his reflection. It's cheesy and usually stalls the flow of the story. Making this mistake will probably get your manuscript instantly rejected.Rate this question:
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- 3.
Pretend that this man is one of the characters in your story. Which of the following details is worth mentioning to the reader?
- A.
His green eyes.
- B.
His brown hair.
- C.
Both of the above.
- D.
None of the above.
Correct Answer
D. None of the above.Explanation
Typically, color does not show us very much interesting about the character. OK, so your character has green eyes instead of blue or brown. So what? Try to focus on details that capture the character's choices and lifestyle. For example, instead of focusing on his hair-color (which he has no control over), mention the way he wears his hair. That suggests something about his attitude and environment. Also, his tight suit and geeky glasses and smile suggest something about his job, mood and education. If we gave him a Rush t-shirt instead and a sloppy haircut, he'd look like a much different character.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Do you have any food-centric scenes? For example, the characters stop to have lunch or attend an Elvish banquet or something.
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Every scene has to either develop a character or advance the plot. Scenes with food tend to stall the story. OK, so your characters are enjoying good food. So what? Why should we want to read this? For example, you could make the scene interesting by adding danger and suspense. Perhaps one of the characters is trying to poison the food of another. Or maybe the dinner is a social test, like a white woman bringing her black fiancee to meet her parents in 1962.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Are any of your characters secretly family members?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
I haven't decided yet.
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
Ever since Darth Vader revealed he was Luke's dad, this has been hopelessly cliche. Using this cliche will probably get your manuscript rejected.Rate this question:
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- 6.
By the end of page three, do we know what the main character's name is?
- A.
No. I don't introduce the main character in the first three pages.
- B.
No. I only refer to the character as something like "the detective" or "the knight." I'll surprise readers by revealing the character's name.
- C.
Yes.
Correct Answer
C. Yes.Explanation
First, you should introduce your main character quickly. Three pages is a good rule of thumb. Second, it is a really bad idea to try to surprise readers with a character's name. When we finally find out that the hero's name is Linda, we're not going to be pleasantly surprised so much as ANGRY that you waited 150 pages to tell us her name.Rate this question:
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- 7.
Each of your characters should have at least one interesting trait. Do you consider attractive, strong, weak, young, old, brave, magical or Elven to be interesting character traits?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
"But magical elves are interesting!" Minus two.
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
These traits don't have a lot of dramatic potential. Typically, an interesting trait will show us more about the character than his demographics (young, old or Elven) or his capabilities (strong, brave or magical).Rate this question:
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- 8.
Does the narrator or POV character hide critical information from readers just to “surprise” us?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Generally, the reader is entitled to everything the point-of-view character knows. If you try to hide crucial information (like that the narrator was actually the killer all along, or that everyone is a squirrel), you will get rejected.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Does your first sentence use any pronouns? If so, please make sure that you aren't withholding crucial information. Chances are that it will come off as obnoxious rather than intriguing.
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
If the first sentence has pronouns, the author is probably withholding valuable information. For example, look at the opening sentence "Until it happened, I had no idea how badly they had screwed me." The narrator is obviously hiding what "it" and "they" are. The sentence would be much more interesting if we rewrote it to "Until the dragon's face burst into a gooey mess, I had no idea how badly Adventurers, Inc. had screwed me." Specifics are generally much more interesting than meaningless pronouns.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Do many sentences start with empty interjections? Some common offenders are well, you know, like, yeah, oh, umm, I mean and seriously.
- A.
Yeah... I mean, uhh, how could you avoid them, y'know? Seriously!
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
If you can remove these interjections, please do so. In most cases, they don't add anything positive and they make the narrator or speaker feel like he's wasting time. They may be acceptable for occasional pauses in dialogue, but please be sparing.Rate this question:
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- 11.
Do your characters use niceties or other polite filler? For example, "can I get you a drink?" is a nicety.
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Niceties are problematic because they rarely advance the plot or show us anything interesting about the characters. Generally, they just waste time and annoy readers.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Do any of your characters have an apostrophe or a dash in their name?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Names with punctuation marks are almost always awkward and frequently cause readers to stumble.Rate this question:
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- 13.
Are any characters cryptic? (For example, do they hide information for no reason except that you want the story to keep going?)
- A.
Yes, my story has a cryptic character.
- B.
Yes, but it's OK because he's enigmatic, mysterious and cool. (Ick. Minus three).
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
It's not cool or mysterious for characters to withhold information when they don't have a good in-story reason for doing so; it's just annoying.Rate this question:
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- 14.
Does your story have any Mary Sues? (A Mary Sue is a superpowered and idealized version of the author. One warning sign is that your main character goes through the book without doing anything you intend the audience to disapprove of. Another warning sign is that the character tends to get everything right on her first try).
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Unfortunately, most people aren't interesting enough to engross an audience. If you want to write about yourself, please write an autobiography. Keeping yourself out of your fiction will improve your writing because you will have a better perspective of how your readers will see the character. It will also keep your work from feeling like a wish-fulfillment fantasy.Rate this question:
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- 15.
Over the course of the book, does anyone disagree with or oppose your main character without coming off as nasty, evil or stupid?
- A.
No.
- B.
No, because my main character is so heroic that you'd have to be evil or stupid to disagree with him. (Minus two!)
- C.
Yes.
Correct Answer
C. Yes.Explanation
Generally, readers like moral complexity. A morally complex hero might not be on the right side of every issue. That's fine. Readers will like that better than a perfect hero because it's more realistic and relatable.Rate this question:
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- 16.
(This question only applies if your main character gets romantically involved with someone). Please list three characteristics that make the hero's lover an interesting character. Did you use any of the following traits?
- A.
Sweet.
- B.
Beautiful (or attractive or handsome).
- C.
High-class.
- D.
All three! It's like you're reading my mind.
- E.
None of the above / the question isn't applicable.
Correct Answer
E. None of the above / the question isn't applicable.Explanation
Characters that are mainly sweet, attractive and/or upper-class are usually not very interesting. Those are superficial characteristics that often make the character into a trophy rather than an actual, breathing person. If you flesh out the love-interest by giving him or her more to work with, the character will get more interesting and we will care more about whether the romance works out.Rate this question:
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- 17.
(This question only applies if the main character gets romantically involved with someone). Why does your hero fall in love with that character instead of someone else?
- A.
Because (s)he is beautiful / handsome.
- B.
Because (s)he is the important female (or male) character in the story.
- C.
Because (s)he is royalty or high-class.
- D.
All of the above. It's like you're reading my mind again!
- E.
None of the above / not applicable.
Correct Answer
E. None of the above / not applicable.Explanation
Romances are most effective when there is a strong in-story reason for why the main character falls in love with the love-interest. If it's just because the love-interest is beautiful, we won't care whether or not the guy gets the girl (or vice versa).Rate this question:
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- 18.
Are any of the main characters the subject of a great prophecy?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
If your character is destined for greatness, he's probably a Chosen One. Let him make his own destiny. Also, great prophecies are really cliche.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Do you use any invented or foreign words when English equivalents are available?
- A.
Yes, because it's dramatic to call Elven soldiers sjweu'pas. (Minus two!)
- B.
Yes.
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
Using made-up words will confuse and irritate readers. If it's remotely possible to use an English word, please do so.Rate this question:
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- 20.
How many of the following things happen in your book? 1) The main villain is NOT vanquished because you want to have the villain return in a sequel. 2) The hero does NOT get the girl (or guy) because you want to resolve the romance in a sequel. 3) The hero does NOT complete his main goal from this book because you want to resolve that in a sequel.
- A.
2 or 3.
- B.
Fewer than 2.
Correct Answer
B. Fewer than 2.Explanation
Many beginning authors use the prospect of a sequel as an excuse to resolve nothing at the end of their first book. If the villain has escaped and the hero hasn't accomplished what he set out to do, what *have* you resolved? Probably not enough.Rate this question:
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- 21.
Does your story use real-world brand-names?
- A.
Yes
- B.
Yes, but it's not a problem. Everyone in the world knows the difference between a Wal-Mart and a Target. (Minus two!)
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
Using brand-names tends to limit the appeal of your story to a particular region and time. It's also usually a lazy way to write. For example, instead of saying a character is rich, you might say he shops at DKNY rather than Walmart, but it is more powerful to describe the clothing itself rather than relying on a brandname. For example, someone replaces his clothes every season "to be current" is wealthy. In contrast, someone that wears his shoes until the soles burn out is demonstrably poor. In contrast, by using a brand-name, you're betting that the vast majority of your readers will know what you're referring to. Even if that's true now, will it be true in 10 or 20 years?Rate this question:
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- 22.
Do you use any made-up words in your title or opening paragraph? (Some examples: Narnia, Muggle, Hogwarts, Voldemort and Aslan).
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Made-up words tend to confuse and overwhelm readers rather than intrigue them. If your story uses made-up words very early on, publishers will take that as a sign that you don't pace very well. (Also, they are particularly ineffective in titles).Rate this question:
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- 23.
Does your title consist of just one word?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
One-word titles are almost always weak. Generally using 2-6 words is more effective. Isn't there some interesting detail you can add that will help pique our interest?Rate this question:
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- 24.
Do your fight scenes ever last for more than 5 pages at a time?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
High-intensity scenes like fights tend to wear out their welcome pretty quickly. If you need more than 1500 words to tell a fight scene, it's probably monotonous.Rate this question:
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- 25.
Do your fight scenes ever include more than 4 combatants?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
B. No.Explanation
Compared to a movie, it's extremely difficult to write a fight scene with many combatants. It's hard enough to describe what three fighters are doing at once, let alone six or ten. If you'd like to use many fighters, I recommend breaking it into a series of 2-3 person duels rather than a single battle royale. Also, if you think that your fight has to have many fighters to be epic, you may be better suited for screenwriting than novel-writing.Rate this question:
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- 26.
Do the dialogues in your story read like transcripts? (If you're not sure, flip to a random dialogue in your story. Do you neglect elements like body language, atmospherics, nonverbal cues, props and scenery?)
- A.
Yes, it reads like a transcript.
- B.
Yes, it *is* a transcript. (Minus two! It's never as clever as it seems).
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
A dialogue that feels like a transcript isn't very immersive. Adding nonverbal details will make the dialogue feel fuller and more interesting.Rate this question:
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- 27.
Have you justified any answers on this test by saying that "but it worked for James Joyce!" or some other super-talented author?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
Yes. But Michael Crichton used one-word titles. I can, too! (Minus two).
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
Bestselling and classic authors have a preestablished credibility with their audience that you do not. For example, readers will start reading a Michael Crichton book even if it has a terrible one-word title. They probably won't extend you the same courtesy.Rate this question:
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- 28.
Thesauruses are both useful and dangerous. Does your book use any sentences like "John sashayed to the refrigerator to get some sustenance"?
- A.
Yes. What's wrong with "John sashayed to the refrigerator to get some sustenance"?
- B.
I used a thesaurus, but I only picked words that had the right feel and connotation.
- C.
No, I did not use a thesaurus.
Correct Answer
B. I used a thesaurus, but I only picked words that had the right feel and connotation.Explanation
A thesaurus can be a powerful tool, but you have to make sure you don't use words that are out of place. You also have to make sure that you get the connotations right. A thesaurus will list words like "amble," "mosey," and "sashay" as synonyms for "walk," but each of those words suggests a different kind of walk.Rate this question:
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- 29.
Does your story use a mentor character that is either 1) preparing the main character(s) for a destined struggle or 2) a friendly surrogate father for the main character?
- A.
Yes to one.
- B.
Yes to both! Are you reading my mind again?
- C.
No to both.
Correct Answer
C. No to both.Explanation
Mentors are typically pretty cliched characters, but the surrogate-father preparing a kid for a destined struggle is the worst of them. If you have a mentor character, please make his relationship with his pupil more interesting and complex. For example, he doesn't want to train the kid. Maybe he thinks he's a better choice for the job, given that he's already well-versed in the skills he will be teaching the kid. Maybe he thinks that the kid will never have what it takes, etc.Rate this question:
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- 30.
Do you overuse obscenities? (If any of your sentences have 2+ obscenities, the answer is yes).
- A.
No.
- B.
Yes.
- C.
I'm a US Marine (minus two!)
Correct Answer
A. No.Explanation
Like aspirins, obscenities are effective in small doses but can cause nausea and brain damage in large doses. Sorry, USMC!Rate this question:
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- 31.
Do you use any of the following characters in your book: a cryptic mentor, an unassuming teenager destined for greatness, an elven maiden, or a ferocious barbarian?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
All of them!
- C.
No.
Correct Answer
C. No.Explanation
The question asks if any of the mentioned characters are used in the book. The options include "Yes. All of them!" and "No." The correct answer is "No." This means that none of the characters mentioned (a cryptic mentor, an unassuming teenager destined for greatness, an elven maiden, or a ferocious barbarian) are used in the book.Rate this question:
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- 32.
At the start of the book, does the hero know who his real parents are?
- A.
Yes.
- B.
No.
Correct Answer
A. Yes.Explanation
It's unacceptably cliche (and not very interesting) for a hero to learn that the people who have been raising him are not really his parents. EVERY time an author uses this cliche, he will reveal that the kid's parents are actually the illustrious hero, the villain or both. Ick. That will probably get you instantly rejected.Rate this question:
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Sep 14, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Oct 24, 2008Quiz Created by
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